Mexico, RFK Jr., Taylor Farms considers Cyclospora outbreak
According to the CDC, there have been more than 4,000 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis. Here’s what U.S. and Mexican health officials have said about the outbreak:
Sweetgreen is reassuring customers that the salad chain is not connected to the ongoing Cyclospora infection that is affecting thousands of people across the United States.
“We saw the news and we know you have questions. We’re working on it,” Sweetgreen said in a post on X. “Although a link between Sweetgreen and the current Cyclospora outbreak has not been confirmed, our food safety experts continue to closely monitor the situation.”
The company said food safety is central to its daily operations and emphasized its “farm-to-restaurant” sourcing and safety practices.
“All of our lettuce comes from the United States,” Sweetgreen said. “All lettuce suppliers are carefully audited by a certified third party.”
The statement comes as restaurants and food companies that serve fresh produce face increased scrutiny during the Cyclospora investigation. Sweetgreen said it wanted to directly answer customers’ questions after news of the outbreak raised concerns about lettuce and other fresh produce.
While federal investigators are focusing on lettuce supplied by Mexico’s Taylor Farms, Sweetgreen said its supply chain has not been identified as part of the investigation and it continues to review its suppliers and food safety practices.
Cyclospora outbreak associated with lettuce is under investigation
As of July 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cysts cases in 41 states. There are also more than 7,400 suspected cases, many in Michigan and Ohio, that have not yet been confirmed by a laboratory.
According to the CDC, 308 people have been hospitalized due to the outbreak since May 1, but no deaths have been reported.
The Food and Drug Administration traced the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce grown by Taylor Farms in Guanajuato, Mexico. Mexico’s Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce products on July 17 as authorities continue to investigate.
The collected lettuce was distributed to restaurants, retailers, and customers. The investigation initially linked some of the illnesses to lettuce served at Taco Bell stores in several states, but officials are still investigating the full extent and source of the contamination.
Authorities continue to investigate the source
Health authorities are continuing to investigate how the contamination occurred and where it came from.
Mexico’s Health Minister David Kerschenovich disputed the FDA’s link to lettuce grown in Guanajuato, Mexico, and said there is currently no evidence to prove the source is Guanajuato. U.S. officials continue to point to tracking data linking the disease to Taylor Farms’ lettuce.
Food safety experts say investigating Cyclospora outbreaks can be difficult because the parasites cannot be tracked using the same genetic fingerprinting methods commonly used for pathogens such as E. coli and Listeria.
Health officials rely heavily on patient interviews, laboratory tests, and follow-up investigations to identify possible sources of infection. Symptoms of cyclosporiasis can appear weeks after exposure, so it can be difficult to determine what foods people have ingested.
USA TODAY reporter Mary Walrath-Holdridge contributed to this report.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or X @athompsonUSAT.
